Team Herald
MAPUSA: After threatening to boycott the upcoming Assembly elections, the locals of Bandirwada, Caisua and Badem of Assagao wards gheraoed the office of Assistant Engineer PWD Water Section, at Dattawadi-Mapusa, on Friday.
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The locals confronted Assistant Engineer Narayan Tivrekar over scarcity of tap water for the past eight days and irregular water supply issue for the past one year.
The affected villagers threatened to continue with their protest if regular water supply is not restored and claimed are ready for “Jail Bharo”.
The situation turned tense after they demanded the AE to call the supervisor looking after the water line while alleging that he has been “selling water” to the builder lobby.
Further, they refused to leave the office demanding immediate solution to their water supply problem.
The affected locals claimed that for the past one year they have been facing problems with irregular water supply and for the last eight days they haven’t received a single drop of water.
They claimed that they are forced to use packaged water for their daily consumption due to failure of the PWD to supply water especially during the festive times.
“During Ganesh Chaturthi we bought packaged water for drinking and cooking purposes. Similar situation was during the Diwali. We are forced to buy tankers for our day to day requirement but how long are we going to buy packaged water and tankers? There are some areas where even the tankers don’t reach,” said a lady.
“We receive monthly bills which are being cleared within time but if there is no regular water supply then how the government can issue bills. Also whatever quantity of water is received is of dirty quality which cannot be consumed,” a group of women pointed out.
Responding to the queries, AE Tivrekar said that the department has taken up the work of replacement of the pipeline.
Responding to this, the women questioned why the pipeline is being replaced when it is the same pipeline which supplies water with pressure during the rains.
They further highlighted that every time the water is released only during the night. The locals claimed that the water is being diverted to the buildings’ construction, which are coming up in the Wadi area, and demanded that in the next eight days these connections should be disconnected.
A senior citizen said, ”I have written a letter to the PWD demanding regular water supply. On Thursday, it was Diwali but there was no water. I am a senior citizen and cannot run for water from pillar to post.”
